I've tried looking this up and its hard to find. I always get the feeling this is something that he would have said several times in his career. Not to mention this is sort of a generic quote that many players can use. I remember an article where Theo Fleury said it in the 1996 World Cup after he scored the overtime winner against Sweden. It was something along those lines like: "You won't score 100% of the time if you don't shoot."

Anyway, maybe there is a story behind this Gretzky quote. If I could pick a time none would have been better after Lemieux's 1987 Canada Cup goal.

I heard Don Cherry say it on Coaches Corner long before I heard Gretzky say it. For all his craziness, Cherry was a smart hockey guy, and I wouldn't be surprised if that statement is an old school belief that guys from Cherry's era had too. I think its only been given to Wayne because its Wayne Gretzky and its easier to convince people that this particular philosphy is best if the best player of all time said it, as opposed to a smart former coach who is just as recognized for being a controversial windbag.

Not sure you really understand what it's meant to say if you ask the second question as the answer to it can easily be found in its meaning..

Oh I do - it means that if you don't even try, you have no chance to succeed.

What I'm saying is that it's a poor phrase to use, because if you elect not to take a shot in order to allow another teammate to score instead, that's not a failure. That is, it's not all about you scoring the goal...

I'm interested in the details when Gretzky said those famous words for the first time, the situation and the exact wording.

I've brought this up a few times on these boards, and it's my completely unsupported belief that he never said it. The fact that such an allegedly well-known quote can't be placed - we don't know when, where, or in what context he said it - just makes the whole thing reek of urban legendry. I can't even imagine what question he would be asked in an interview or press conference that would elicit such a response.

Personally, I think it's on the same level as "George Washington never told a lie". It's something that parents tell their kids to inspire them, and they drop Gretzky's name to add a little credibility to it.

Oh I do - it means that if you don't even try, you have no chance to succeed.

What I'm saying is that it's a poor phrase to use, because if you elect not to take a shot in order to allow another teammate to score instead, that's not a failure. That is, it's not all about you scoring the goal...

No, I think there's a meaning beyond that, a less abstract and more practical meaning. Don't look for the perfect shot, take what's there. That doesn't mean always shoot, it just means shoot when the window is there.

In hockey but other sports as well, you usually have at most 1-2 seconds where you see an opening for a scoring chance. I have myself wasted chances because I was waiting for that sure thing look but by the time I finally wanted to shoot the goalie or defender had closed the opening and I didn't get a decent shot OR a pass to a teammate off.

There's a certain player type that is very hesitant to put the puck on net unless they figure it's a high-percentage shot and quite often they have very low goal totals and sometimes you really gotta tell them: "Well dude you won't score a goal if you don't put the effing puck on net." It's not meant to be advice that tells you: Don't pass the puck, shoot it! But rather it's meant to say: Make a decision NOW, pass or shoot, just don't keep waiting on that can't miss opportunity.

Wasn't this quote at one point also credited to Michael Jordan or was that a mistake? I know that Gretzky said it but didn't know if Jordan did or not too. Kind of off topic but it has been irking me for some reason.

Wasn't this quote at one point also credited to Michael Jordan or was that a mistake? I know that Gretzky said it but didn't know if Jordan did or not too. Kind of off topic but it has been irking me for some reason.

Canadian kids get told "Well you know what Wayne Gretzky said...."

American kids get told "Well you know what Michael Jordan said...."

Multiple tellings of the same story, with details changed to suit the audience, is a hallmark of urban legendry.

Interesting thing about this- I always heard it attributed to Michael Jordan and/or Larry Bird before I heard the phrase attributed to Gretzky.

I tend to think its just a popular catch phrase that people will attribute to a legend to add to their mythos. I wouldn't be at all surprised if 30 or forty years from now people attribute that phrase to some of the stars from today.

I've brought this up a few times on these boards, and it's my completely unsupported belief that he never said it. The fact that such an allegedly well-known quote can't be placed - we don't know when, where, or in what context he said it - just makes the whole thing reek of urban legendry. I can't even imagine what question he would be asked in an interview or press conference that would elicit such a response.

Personally, I think it's on the same level as "George Washington never told a lie". It's something that parents tell their kids to inspire them, and they drop Gretzky's name to add a little credibility to it.

It's also strange to be unable to find a quote for someone who:
- Is still alive
- Was active during the Internet era
- Is extremely prominent within his particular world